Speed reducer



Feb. 16, 1965 H. MORIN SPEED REDUCER Filed sept. 2o, 196s R Y mw M ER d, R wo o IM H .H 5 U O w% United States iPatent Oli Tice 3,169,414 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 3,169,414 SPEED REDUCER Louis H. lviorin, Bronx, N .Y. (125 Beechwood Ave., New Rochelle, N.Y.) Filed Sept. 20, 1%3, Ser. No. 310,277 4 Claims. (Cl. 711-802) This invention relates to speed reducers, wherein a rotatable drive unit is employed to rotate a pulley around an axis having an output or driven pulley with a belt drive between the pulleys. More particularly, the invention deals with a reducer of the character defined, wherein the axis of the pulley of the drive unit is retained against rotation by a dual lever control, having means operatively engaging pairs of cam grooves in side plates of the reducer.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a reducer of the character deined, wherein said drive unit includes a counterweight, as well as means operatively engaging the belt employed for maintaining the belt in firm frictional engagement with the two pulleys of the reducer.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, :when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which'certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated byV suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FlG. l is a sectional view generally along the line 1-1 of FIG. 2, with parts of the construction broken away and shown in elevation and diagrammatically illustrating in dotted lines a few of the positions of the dual lever control in operation of the reducer; and s FIG. 2 is a section -generally on the line 2 2 of FIG. l, with parts of the construction shown in elevation and broken away and omitting part of the background show ing.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, the reducer comprises generally similar side plates and 11 secured together and spaced b v bolt-like members 12 arranged at corner portions of the plates, as noted in FG. l of the drawing. The plate 1@ has, on its inner sur; face, a cam groove 13, the plate 11 having a similar groove 14, offset with respect to the groove 11, as will clearly appear from the dot-dash showing of the groove 1.3 in FIG. 1. At 15 I have generally shown what l term a rotatable drive unit, comprising two side arms 16 and 17, generally of the same contour, except as later noted, these arms being secured together by bolts 1S and spaced by a counterweight 19, through which the bolts 18 pass, the spacing being such as to provide clearance for the driven pulley of the reducer, later described.

The unit l5 is rotated by a drive shaft 20, having suitable bearing support in a anged tube 21 mounted in the plate 10, as shown at the left of FIG. 2. The shaft 2l) includes a collar 22 arranged in the arm 16, the shaft 2Q being riveted to the arm, as diagrammatically seen at 23, so that, in the drive of the shaft 2l), the entire unit rotates within and between the plates 10 and 11. At 24 is shown a driven or output shaft, having bearing support in a flanged tube 25 fixed to the plate 11, the shaft 24 being generally similar to the shaft 2l) in having a rivet end portion 25 for fixedly securing a driven pulley or member 27 thereon, said pulley being freely disposed between adjacent surfaces of the arms 16 and 17, as will clearly appear from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, although no clearances are shown. The pulley 27 has circumferentially alined transversely spaced teeth 23, which are alined with corresponding teeth 29 on an input drive pulley or member 30. Operatively engaging the two pulleys is a Poly-V belt'31.

The drive pulley 30 has side shaft extensions 32 mounted in suitable bearings lin the arms 16 and 17, as clearly indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the shaft extensions terminating in square ends 33, note one of these Vsquare ends in FIG. l, and mounted on the square ends 33 are a pair of similar levers 34, 35 arranged at right angles to each other and supporting at their free ends studs 36 and 37 supporting antifriction rollers 38 and 39, respectively, which operate in the grooves 13 and 14, respectively, in the side plates 1l) and 11. For purposes of description, the two levers can be generally identified by a dual lever control 40 which, in combination with the squared ends 33, form a triangular contour to the control 4i) and, in the rotation of the unit 15, the dual lever control maintains its fixed relationship, as the rollers 38 and 39 travel around through the grooves 13 and 14, respectively, and parts of these maintained positions of the control 40 are indicated in dotted lines at 40' and at 40" in FiG. l of the drawing. In other words, the vertical apex extending through the center of the axis of 33 is always maintained throughout the complete cycle of rotation of the unit 15.

Considering FIG. l of the drawing, it will be apparent that the control 4l) is mounted in a reduced end portion 41 of the arms.

Also in this ligure, it will be noted that the arms have, intermediate the shaft 20 and the squared ends 33 of the pulley 30, lateral extensions 42, having elongated apertures 43, in vwhich are adjustably mounted pins 44 supporting between the extensions 42 of each of the arms rollers 55 adapted to bear upon the belt 31, as indicated at theright of FIG. 1 of the drawing, in maintaining the belt in firm trictional engagement with the pulleys l27 and 3o, respectively.. The pins ttl are adjusted to screws '46 mounted in the `extensions 42, the screws extending .into the sockets in ends of the pins 44, one of these engagements being shown at 47 at the right of FIG. l of the drawing.

. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the only structural difference between the two arms 16 and 17 is that the shaft 2l) is riveted to the arm 1d, as at 23; whereas, the arm 17 simply has an aperture to receive part of the bearing 48 supporting the shaft 24, as noted at the right of FIG. 2 of the drawing.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, it will appear that the adjustment of the roller 45 at the left simply maintains the belt in a straight position between the two pulleys, but both of the rollers can be adjusted, if desired, to apply tension to the belt in establishing the desired frictional engagement with the two pulleys employed. By providing the two extensions 42, a balanced condition is provided in operation of the unit 1 5 and the weight 19 will be such as to counterbalance the end portion of the arms, in connection with which the drive pulley is mounted.

In use, one of the pulleys will be of a dierent diameter than the other pulley and the greater this difference the less reduction in drive will be provided and direction of rotation oi the driven shaft 24 can be controlled by making the pulley 3h larger or smaller than the pulley 27 and, when very high reductions are required, the difference in size lof the two pulleys will be very slight. As a matter of fact, if the pulleys are both of the same diameter, it will be apparent that no rotary movement would be transmitted to the driven shaft 24. No attempt has been made in the accompanying drawing toshow any material variation in size between the pulleys, but it will be understood that the size of the pulleys can be varied and, when drastic changes in sizes are employed, belts of diiferent lengths will be employed to compensate for such changes and, thus, minimize degree of adjustments of the adjustable rollers 45, as clearly noted in FIG. l.

It will also be apparent that other means can be emor member against rotation upon its axis, while rotating 'around the drivenpulley or member by'the rotation'of the unit; Y

Having fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as' new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A speedL reducer comprising a support including f'spaced xed plates,` bolts joining and spacing `said plates, fa drive unit rotatable between said plates, a drive shaft mounted in one plate and fixed Yto said unit, a driven :shaft rotatably mounted in the other plate, `a driven Epulley fixed tothe driven Vshaft and arranged in said unit, lsaid unitV having a drive pulley ineludinga shaft spaced 'with respect to thefaxis of the drive and driven shafts,

:said pulleys llying in a plane which Ais perpendicular to @the Ydrive and driven sli-aft axes,V means mounted onthe I'shaft of said drive pulley for retaining said drive'pulley :and its shaft against rotation in rotation of the drive jpulley around said driven 'pulley Yin the rotation of said funit, a belt placing the-drive pulley in operative engagei .'ment with saidl duiven pulley in the` reduction drive. be-

ltween the driveand driven-shafts, said means comprising A'a control mounted on'iand movable withfthe shaft of said drive-pulley, means engaging said control ini maintaining the shaft of said drive pulley against said rotation, saidcontroleomprising a pair of leve'rskeyed to the shaft-of the drive pulley, and said levers having'rollers operating in. annular cam grooveson innen-surfaces of said plates. Y A

2.` A speed reducerlas'deined in claim 1, wherein the cam groove of one plate is `offset with respect to the cam groove of the other of said plates.Y

3. A speed reducer comprising a Ysupport including spaced fixed plates, bolts joining and spacing said plates, a drive unit rotatable between said plates, a drive shaft mounted in one plate and fixed to said unit, a driven shaft rotatably mounted in the other plate, a driven pulley fixed to the driven shaftand arranged in said unit, said unit having a drive pulley including a shaft spaced with respect to the axis of the drive and driven shafts, said pulleys lying in a plane wlhieh is perpendicular to the drive 4and driven slhaft axes, means mounted on the shaft of 1, said drivepulley for retaining said drive'=pulley 'and its control in maintaining the shaft against rotation in rotation of the drive pulley around said driven pulley in the rotation f said unit, a belt placing the drive pulley inV operative engagement with said driven pulley in the reduction drive between the drive and driven shafts, said means comprising a pair of levers keyed to theshaft of said drive pulley, one lever being arranged at 'right angles to the other lever, and saidlevers support-ing 'at their ends rollers openating in cam groovesl on inner surfaces ofV said side plates.

4. A speed reducer comprising Ya support including spaced fixed plates, bolts joining and spacing said plates, a drive unit rotatably mounted between said'pl'ates, a drive shaft mounted in one plate and fixed to said unit, a driven shaft rotatably mounted in the other plate, al driven rrern-y Y berl fixed to the driven Vshaft and arranged in said unit and'around which tlieunitfnotates, said unit supporting i a drive member including a shattspaced with respect to the Vaxis-of the drive and driven shafts, said pulleys-.lying in a plane which is perpendieular'to the drive and driven shaft axes, means mounted on the shaft of said drive member for retaining said member and its shaft against Vrotation in rotationfof the dnive member around said driven member in rotation of saidunt,y said drive and yand driven shafts, said means comprising a control mounted on and movable Vwith the -shaft `of said drive member, and means onsaid spacediplates engaging Vsaid shaft of said `drive member against said rotation., Y Y i Y. References Cited by' the Examiner` "UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,098,573 1.1/37 Dingle 74-2,42.1 x 2,459,969 1/49 Schweickart 74-802 X 2,549,247

4/51 scott 'M -15.6

D oN A. WAITE, Primary Examiner. i 

1. A SPEED REDUCER COMPRISING A SUPPORT INCLUDING SPACED FIXED PLATED, BOLTS JOINING AND SPACING SAID PLATES, A DRIVE UNIT ROTATABLE BETWEEN SAID PLATES, A DRIVE SHAFT MOUNTED IN ONE PLATE AND FIXED TO SAID UNIT, A DRIVEN SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE OTHER PLATE, A DRIVEN PULLEY FIXED TO THE DRIVEN SHAFT AND ARRANGED IN SAID UNIT, SAID UNIT HAVING A DRIVE PULLEY INCLUDING A SHAFT SPACED WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF THE DRIVE AND DRIVEN SHAFTS, SAID PULLEYS LYING IN A PLANE WHICH IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE DRIVE AND DRIVEN SHAFT AXES, MEANS MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT OF SAID DRIVE PULLEY FOR RETAINING SAID DRIVE PULLEY AND ITS SHAFT AGAINST ROTATION IN ROTATION OF THE DRIVE PULLEY AROUND SAID DRIVEN PULLEY IN THE ROTATION OF SAID UNIT, A BELT PLACING THE DRIVE PULLEY IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRIVEN PULLEY IN THE REDUCTION DRIVE BETWEEN THE DRIVE AND DRIVEN SHAFTS, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CONTROL MOUNTED ON AND MOVABLE WITH THE SHAFT OF SAID DRIVE PULLEY, MEANS ENGAGING SAID CONTROL IN MAINTAINING THE SHAFT OF SAID DRIVE PULLEY AGAINST SAID ROTATION, SAID CONTROL COMPRISING A PAIR OF LEVERS KEYED TO THE SHAFT OF THE DRIVE PULLEY, AND SAID LEVERS HAVING ROLLERS OPERATING IN ANNULAR CAM GROOVES ON INNER SURFACES OF SAID PLATES. 